Nets: This Pistons-Spencer Dinwiddie trade makes sense

The Brooklyn Nets are currently riding an eight-game winning streak that has catapulted them to just a half-game behind Philadelphia for the top seed in the East. Predictably enough, it also has pundits penciling them in as the prohibitive championship favorites.

With the midway point of the season fast approaching, it would make sense for the Nets to start brainstorming ways to put the finishing touches on the roster. Given their cap situation, it’s been widely expected that Brooklyn would be major players in the upcoming buyout market.

But the latest buzz suggests they could play a major role in the trade deadline sweepstakes as well. It was reported this week that the Nets are shopping Spencer Dinwiddie, who’s been rehabbing a partially-torn ACL he suffered just three games into the season.

In unsurprising fashion, it didn’t take long for Dinwiddie to garner interest, as SNY insider Ian Begley is reporting that the Pistons are one of several teams inquiring about his availability and the Nets’ asking price for their backup point guard.

Taking this into account, what exactly should Brooklyn demand in return for Dinwiddie if the Pistons were to make a serious run at him leading up to the deadline?

If the Nets send Spencer Dinwiddie back to Detroit via trade, here’s what they should demand in return.

In light of Dinwiddie’s injury, it’s plausible to think that his trade value could take a hit. However, considering that ACL injuries (let alone partially-torn ones) aren’t as serious as they once were in terms of career outlook and recovery timeline, we’d like to think he should still be worth a first or second-round pick and an impact player.

That might seem like a lot for a ball-dominant bench player, but the 27-year-old is seemingly multiple weeks ahead of schedule in his recovery and is fresh off a career year last season in which he averaged 20.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game on 41.5% shooting.

Those are elite numbers, and while Dinwiddie might not fit into this stage of the Pistons’ rebuild at first blush, he would be a tremendous fit alongside breakout star Jerami Grant, who they surprisingly landed in free agency last offseason, and their other young pieces. That begs the question of who Detroit would be willing to part ways with in a potential trade?

As desperate as the Pistons are to unload Blake Griffin and his albatross of a contract, the Nets clearly aren’t dumb enough to target him. However, it’s possible somebody like Mason Plumlee could pique GM Sean Marks’ interest, given the team’s glaring need for an established big man.

Plumlee might not tickle everyone’s fancy, but he checks all the boxes in terms of what Brooklyn is currently looking for in the front court. The 30-year-old has a tireless engine and is one of the league’s best rebounders, currently averaging 9.1 boards in just over 28 minutes per game.

For anybody concerned about Plumlee’s contract being added to the Nets’ payroll, his and Dinwiddie’s respective salaries align perfectly, according to ESPN’s Trade Machine. It might not be the front court acquisition fans in Brooklyn were hoping for (if it happens), but this trade would undoubtedly go a long way towards fixing their defensive and rebounding issues.

Given the Nets’ current financial situation, they could do a lot worse than recouping a draft pick and a capable defender/rebounder in return for a player in Dinwiddie who was already causing a stir about having a limited role before he went down with his injury anyway.

Or, hey, maybe Saddiq Bey is available?

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